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2Application overview, required documents
Application overview
Applications are accepted no earlier than three months before your planned departure date. You must submit your application in person at a VFS Global centre (private third-party service provider for governments worldwide). It will then be forwarded to the French consulate for processing.
- Step 1: Fill out the online visa application.
- Step 2: Only if you are a resident of Quebec, request your attestation de séjour de la RAMQ.
- Step 3: Book an appointment at a VFS centre.
- Step 4: Submit your completed application and supporting documents to VFS.
- Step 5: Await approval, your passport will be mailed back with the visa inside.
Required documents
When submitting your application at the VFS Global centre, you must present the following supporting documents:
- Your Canadian passport. It must be signed and valid for at least 3 months beyond the end date of your stay in France. It must also contain at least 2 blank pages for the visa.
- One recent ID picture, taken against a plain and light background. The photo must follow the guidelines outlined by the Consulate General of France in Canada.
- Cover letter written in English or French addressed to the Consulate General of France explaining why you are applying for a WHV. You should also state that you commit to respecting the validity period of your visa. Learn more.
- Proof of funds of at least €2,500 (or equivalent in CAD) in your name to cover your arrival in France.
- Commitment to leave France. If you have bought a return or onward flight to leave France, you may use that as proof of commitment. Otherwise, plan to show an additional €1,000 of savings (on top of the required minimum) to prove that you have the means to purchase a flight later on.
- Proof of private medical insurance covering health care, hospitalization, and repatriation for the full duration of your stay in France (further explained in chapter 3).
- Residents of Quebec must also provide their attestation de séjour de la RAMQ.
Canadian applicants are exempt from providing a medical certificate and criminal record check. To learn more, read Important tips for Canadians applying for a France Working Holiday Visa.
You must also print the following documents, which will be available to you once you complete your online application form.
- The VFS appointment confirmation receipt
- Completed visa application form, dated and signed. You’ll get a copy of the form after completing your application on France-Visas.
- Receipt of visa application. It is provided in the same PDF document as your application and contains a list of documents to bring with you. See the following image.
To learn more about the mandatory private medical insurance, read chapter 3. Otherwise, chapter 4 will explain how to start your online visa application.
We’ve been recommending Globe WHV insurance since 2005. They’ve already covered thousands of working holiday makers, to France and elsewhere!
(57) Comments
Hi Jackson,
I’m in a bit of a situation – I’ve been working in Paris on a WHV and it’s expiring in 2 months. I’d like to either renew or apply for a Talent Passport but I’m unable to do so online since I don’t have a foreign number.
The local Prefecture has also been unhelpful they’re confused. Do you know if I can apply for a status change from France or if I need to go back to Canada? I’m trying to avoid going back by all means.
Thank you in advance.
Hi Alireza. It’s true that WHVers do not have a foreigner number. APS holders do, however, get one. I don’t know much about the Talent Passport, but if you want a foreigner number and thereby gain access to the ANEF portal, you can apply for an APS. The steps are explained in https://pvtistes.net/en/extend-working-holiday-france/
Hi Jackson! When renewing my WHV do I need the criminal record check and medical certification? My appointment is in Vancouver this week and I cannot remember if I had those in my application the first time. Kind regards!
Hey it wasn’t required the first time, so it shouldn’t be the second time. Good luck 🙂
Hello would it be possible to apply for 24 months long stay visa upfront on arrival to France? also do you offer one on one consultancy on whv in France, i need tips on settling in , opening bank accounts etc
Hi Tosin.
1) You can only get a WHV for 12 months. But Canadians can extend their stay for another 12 months at the end.
2) See chapter 7 for tips on settling, housing, bank account, phone number etc
3) If you still have questions, you can sign up for one of our free online Q&A workshops https://pvtistes.net/en/bonsplans/workshops/
Hi Jackson! Thanks for your website, it is very helpful! From your personal experience or from what you are noticing currently, do you happen to have a delay estimation from the time the application is sent to the consulate by vfs to when vfs advises that the passeport and visa are ready for pick up? My flight is in a couple of days and I am stressing really hard because I have no clue what I will Do if I do not receive it on time (either delay or cancel my trip). I applied for à long term visa because I will be in France for 11 months. I Wonder if there is any way to aplply for the visa from Europe within the 90 day time limit. Do you happen to know ? Thank you so much. You are my last hope at obtaining some sort of useful info now..
Hello Li, you’re very welcome. I have applied for two different France visas through VFS and in both cases, my passport was mailed back to me within 7-8 days of my appointment. It’s hard to say if that is standard for most people or not. And generally it is not possible to apply for a France visa as a visitor on French soil (certainly not the first WHV). What type of visa are you applying for?
Thank you so much for your Quick response, that gives me some hope 🙂 i am applying for a long term visa (tourist). And actually I was wonderijg whether it was also possible to do it abroad (for exemple in the French Embassy in England which is outside the Schengen zone). Thank you so much Jackson 🙂
I am not sure about that, it is best to confirm with the embassy directly. My understanding is that in general, you should be at least a resident of the country in which you are submitting an application (if not your country of citizenship). Though there could be exceptions.
I’m not sure if this is applicable to you, but Canadians who have gotten a WHV to France can apply for a 12 month extension via the APS. And this can fully be done on French soil. https://pvtistes.net/en/extend-working-holiday-france/
Thanks again for all tha precious info :)!!
Hi Jackson,
I hope you’re well! I am about to finalize a renting lease agreement and the landlord is asking for “Assurance Habitation” (home insurance). This would amount to a monthly fee that I’d get from a company of my choice. However, I already have the ACS insurance purchased as part of my Working Holiday Visa application, and from what I see in the certificate, there is also a “Civil Liability” section which includes damage to property. Doesn’t this count as the Assurance Habitation?
Thank you as always for your help!
All the best,
Niloo
Congrats on finding housing! These are separate protections. I am certainly not a lawyer, but civil liability protects you from legal recourse when you cause injury or damages to another individual. Housing insurance is to protect yourself as resident and the landlord, from potential damages. For example if your apartment gets robbed and you lose valuables, that would not be a claim to bring to your medical insurer nor your landlord. Rather it would be the housing insurance. Hope that helps
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